Display-rack for hats



(N-o Model.)

2Sheets-Sheet 2l R. SZCZYS. DISPLAY RACK POR'HATS.

,004. Patented May 4,'189'7.

Q3 Igaijm l 345.926 35??? UNTTnn STaTns PATENT Tirreni ROBERT SZOZYS, OF MINTO, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOI-IN J. SPRAFKA, OF SAME PLACE, AND OHAS. H. BRONSON, OF GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA.

DISPLAY-RACK FOR HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,004, dated May 4, 1897.

` Application filed August ll, 1896. Serial No. 602,483. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT Szozvs, a citizen of thevUnited States, residing at Minto, in the county of Valsh and State Vof North Dakota, have invented a new and useful Display-Rack for Hats and other Merchandise, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in display-racks for hats and other merchandise.

1o The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of display-racks and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efticient one designed for hats and other merchandise and capable of advantageously displaying a i 5 large quantity of goods without handling the same.

Another object of the invention is to enable a display-rack to be operated by suitable power in order to display continuously its zo contents and serve as an advertising showcase.

L A further object of the invention is to enable such goods to be compactly stored and kept free from dust, so that they cannot be- 2 5 come shop-worn.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed 3o out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a display-rack constructed in accordance with this invention, the hinged door being open. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sec- 3 5 tional view taken transversely of the shelves. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken longitudinally of the shelves. Fig. 4L is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the construction of the locking device for holding the shelves 4o against movement. Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a modiiication of the invention.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates a rectangular case or cabinet constructed of any suitable material and having the major portion of its front and back transparent in order to ailord a view of the interior of the case or cabinet to enable its 5o contents to be readily examined.

The sides of the case or cabinet are preferably provided on their outer faces with mirrors 3, and the front of the case or cabinet-is provided with a door 4, hinged at its lower edge and supported, when open in a horizontal position by a slotted bar 5 to provide a shelf. The slotted bar 5 is pivoted at one end to the door 4, and the slot receives a headed st ud of the case or cabinet.

Within the case or cabinet, at opposite 6o sides thereof, are arranged upper and lower sprocket-wheels 6 and 7, receiving endless sprocket-chains 8, and the links of the latter are provided at intervals with laterally--disposed pivots 9, from which are suspended horizontal shelves l0. The upper sprocketwheels are preferably mounted on stub-shafts 1l, andthe lower sprocket-wheels are iXed to a horizontal shaft l2, extending from one side of the case or cabinet to the other. The 7o sprocket-chains, which may be constructed in any suitable manner, are provided `with detachable links, and the shelves, which. are provided at their side edges with upwardlyextendinglongitudinal ribs or flanges 13, are 75 suspended from the pivots of the sprocketchains by Vsubstantially triangular hangers 14. The shelves are adapted for the reception of hats or any other kind of merchandise. The ribs at the side of the shelves prevent hats 8o from slipping oli the shelves, and by rotating the shaft l2 the shelves of the entire series are successively brought to the front of the case and are adapted to display their contents advantageously. By thisconstrnctionalarge amount of lnerchandise can be quickly displayed without handling the same, thereby preventing the goods from becoming shopworn.

A vertical screen 27 is arranged within the 9o case or cabinet and is disposed between the two vertical series of shelves formed by the endless carrier, as clearly illustrated in Fig.

3 of the accompanyingdrawings. This screen forms a background for the case or cabinet and it serves to prevent the contents of the shelves from falling inward, and while it may be constructed in any suitable manner it preferably consists of upper and lower horizontal bars 28, secured at their terminals to the ends ioo of the case or cabinet, and a continuous piece of fabric or similar material secured to the upper and lower horizontal bars and forming two sides arranged at the side edges of the bars adjacent to the inneredges of the shelves l0. The vertical screen forms a wall or partition which separates the two leaves of the sprocket-chains and the series of shelves carried by them, thereby serving to display the contents of the front series of shelves more advantageously than would be the case were the entire contents of the case or cabinet simultaneously exposed to view.

The sprocket-wheels may be rotated by any suitable operating mechanism, but the latter preferably consists of a small sprocket-wheel 15, mounted on the shaft l2, a similar sprocket-wheel1G,located above the sprocketwheel 15 and arranged on a shaft 17, and an endless chain 1S, connecting the sprocketwheels l5 and 1G. This mechanism may be arranged on the interior or exterior of the case or cabinet, but it is preferably arranged inside of the same, as illustrated in the accompan yin g drawings, and a crank-handle 19 is mounted on the outer end of the shaft 17 and is rotated to act-nate the shelving.

Instead of operating` the display-rack by hand a suitable power may be employed, and a pulley 29 is mounted on one end of the lower shaft 12 for this purpose. By continuously operating the display-rack it will serve as an advertising shop-case.

lVhen the gearing is not being operated to display the merchandise,the shelves are locked against upward or downward movement by a spring-actuated bolt 20, located at the front of the case and extending through a slot 21 thereof. The bolt is mounted in a rectangular housing 22, which is located adjacent to one of the sprocket-chains and which is provided with upwardly and downwardly extending arms The bolt is adapted to project beyond the case and pass through one of the links of the sprocket-chains and engage an opening 24 of a plate 25, located inside of the sprocket-chain and having its opening disposed opposite the housing.

The terminals of the plate 25 and the arms 23 diverge, as shown, to prevent the links of the sprocket-chain from catching on them. The bolt is held out of engagement with .the sprocket-chain,while the gearing is being opcrate/d, by a lug 2G, located at the outer end of the bolt adjacent to the handle thereof and adapted to be turned transversely of the slot 2l, whereby the bolt is held against inward movement. Then the bolt is turned longitudinally of the slot, the spring which actuates the bolt forces the latter inward into engagement with the sprocket-chain.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings is illustrated a modification of the invention, and a pair of small wheels 27a are arranged at the top of each side of the case or cabinet instead of a single .large sprocket-wheel, as illustrated in Figs. l to 3, inclusive.

It will be seen that the display-rack is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it will enable a large quantity of merchandise to be stored and advantageously displayed without handling the same, and that the goods are prevented from being shopworn. It will also be seen that simple and effective means are provided for locking the shelves against upward and downward movement, so that the shelves may be retained at any desired adjustment, even although they should be unequally balanced.

The apparatus may be constructed with or without the screen 27, as preferred.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

l. In a display-rack, the combination of a case or cabinet, upper and lower sprocketwheels arranged therein and disposed at opposite sides thereof, endless sprocket-chains to permit the shelves to move freely arranged on the sprocket-wheels, a series of shelves pivotally connected with and carried by the endless chains, and a spring-actuated bolt arranged to engage the links of one of the sprocke t-chains, extending through a slot of the case and provided at its outer end with a lug, adapted, when the bolt is withdrawn, to be turned transversely of the slot, whereby the bolt is held out of engagement with the sprocket-chain, substantially as described.

2. In a display-rack, the combination of a case or cabinet, upper and lower sprocketwheels, sprocket-chains arranged thereon, a series of shelves pivotally connected to and carried by the endless chains, a housing located opposite one of the sprocket-chains and provided, at its inner end, with upwardly and downwardly extending arms, a plate arranged adjacent to the housing, disposed at the opposite side of the adjacent portion of the sprocket-chains and provided with an opening, the terminals of the plate and arms being diverged, and a spring -actuated bolt mounted in the housing and adapted to extend through a link of the sprocket-chains and the opening of the plate, said bolt being arranged in the slot of the case and provided with a lug adapted, when the bolt is withdrawn, to be disposed transversely of the slot, whereby the bolt is held out of engagement with the sprocket-chain, substantially as described.

3. In a display-rack, the combination of a case or cabinet, upper and lower sprocketwheels, sprocket chains arranged on the wheels, a series of shelves pivotally connected to and carried by the endless chains, a housing located opposite one Vof the sprocketchains and provided at its inner end with upwardly and downwardly extending arms and located at the outer side of the adjacent sprocket-chain, a plate located at the inner IOO side of the latter, Ioeated ad jacent to the housmy own I have hereto afxed my signature in ing and provided With an opening, and abolt the presence of two witnesses. mounted in the housing and adapted to eX- tend through a link of the adjacent sproeket- ROBERT SZCZYS' 5 chain and through the opening oi said plate, Vitnesses:

substantially as described. JESSE D. PHELPS,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ADAM SPRAFKA. 

